Common units and individual units which are configuration components of an image forming apparatus are so called consumables, and need maintenance such as replacement (or supplement) regularly or as needed. A replacement time corresponding to a consumption degree is generally different in every component.
The image forming apparatus, which performs color printing, forms a color image using toners having a plurality of colors. The image forming apparatus forming the color image uses, for example, color toners of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K). In terms of physical characteristics, each color toner is not much different from each other except a color difference. The colors of toners are changed but components thereof are barely changed, and therefore, an influence on a life span of a photoconductive drum or the other components is not largely changed due to the toner. Accordingly, in the related art, regardless of a consumption amount of each color toner, a replacement time of the photoconductive drum or the other components is set.
However, recently, a change of color is required, and a color different from a color of the related art, for example, a toner having gold color (here, this toner is referred to as a decorative toner) is used.
In such a decorative toner, a material different from a toner element of the related art, such as gold which is different from the color toner of the related art, is added. Therefore, a condition relating to the life span of each component is changed. While the component can be used long using the toner of the related art, the life span of the component may be reduced using such a decorative toner.
An exemplary embodiment is made under consideration of the above described circumstance. There is provided an image forming apparatus in which the replacement time of individual units such as the photoconductive drum can be objectively informed to a user even when the decorative toner such as a metallic toner is used, regardless of a presence or absence of an experience of an operator.